Kanye West responds to calls to ban him from UK festival
Kanye West, formally known as Ye, has responded to calls to ban him from an upcoming UK festival following past antisemitic comments.
The rapper is set to headline Wireless Festival in London this July, a move that has lead to the UK government reviewing whether West will be permitted in the country.
The 48-year-old released a track called 'Heil Hitler' and sold swastika T-shirts last year. He later apologised and stated his bipolar disorder lead to his controversial behaviour.
In light of sponsors such as Pepsi and Paypal pulling out of Wireless, West has issued a statement saying he would be willing to meet the British Jewish community.
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"I've been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly," he said.
"My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music."
The rapper continued: "I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren't enough - I've have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here."
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, the promoter of Wireless, defended the decision to have West as a headline act.
He said on Monday that Wireless is "not giving him [West] a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions."
Benn continued: "I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life. I lived on a kibbutz for many months in the 1970s that was attacked on 7 October, am a pro-Jew and the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state.
"What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the prime minister and others that have commented and – taking him at his word – to Ye now also."
The likes of Sky News and BBC News reports that ministers are 'reviewing' whether West will be granted access into the UK following his past antisemitic remarks.
Wireless Festival’s statement in full
A statement from Melvin Benn, Managing Director at Festival Republic, said:
"I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life. I lived on a kibbutz for many months in the 1970’s that was attacked on October 7th, am pro Jew and the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state.
"Having had a person in my life for the last 15 years who suffers from mental illness, I have witnessed many episodes of despicable behaviour that I have had to forgive and move on from. If I wasn’t before, I have become a person of forgiveness and hope in all aspects of my life, including work.
"What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the Prime Minister and others that have commented and - taking him at his word - to Ye now also.
"Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.
"Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do."
Topics: Kanye West, Music
Callum Jones